By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
Let’s get this out of the way:
In Kenya, nobody has just one job.
If you meet someone who says they only do one thing — they’re either lying, joking, or working on their side hustle in secret.
This is the land of multiple income streams, overlapping roles, and hybrid career portfolios — all powered by M-Pesa and vibes.
Your Barista Has a Tech Startup
Order a cappuccino in Nairobi, and the person frothing your milk might casually mention they’re coding a fintech app for rural loans.
“Oh, I just do this part-time — my real hustle is blockchain for bananas.”
Don’t be surprised.
In Kenya, “part-time” means “between funding rounds.”
And “real job” is a philosophical concept, like the meaning of life or good Wi-Fi during load shedding.
Titles Are a Spectrum
You’ll meet:
- A teacher who’s also a forex trader
- A lawyer with a haircare brand
- A nurse who runs a chicken farm and does voiceovers for TikTok ads
- A driver who writes film scripts about love in the matatu industry
Here, everyone’s a slash.
Engineer / Fashion Designer.
Data Analyst / Goat Farmer.
Accountant / Wedding MC / Samosa Supplier.
It’s not weird to attend a wedding and find out your emcee is your dentist, who also teaches yoga, bakes banana bread, and mines Ethereum on weekends.
And yes — everyone has a cousin in Canada. That’s a national export.
Phones Are Offices
Forget cubicles. The entire economy fits into a smartphone.
- Invoices? On WhatsApp.
- Orders? On Instagram DM.
- Marketing? TikTok, baby.
- Logistics? Screenshot location, send boda guy.
Some people run five businesses from a single Infinix phone with a cracked screen and more ambition than battery life. And if you lose your phone, you don’t just lose calls — you lose payroll, customer records, and your motivational quotes archive.
You don’t turn your phone off here — you just rotate SIM cards like a DJ changing tracks.
The Side Hustle Starter Pack
If you want to blend in, here’s what you’ll need:
1. A logo — designed by your friend who “almost studied graphic design.”
2. A Gmail with your business name — bonus points if it ends in “solutions.”
3. A WhatsApp group — titled something like “Team Elevate 🔥🔥🔥.”
4. Business cards — digital preferred, physical required at weddings.
5. A motto — e.g. “Driven by Purpose, Fueled by Passion.”
And don’t forget — even if your side hustle is only three days old, you must call yourself Founder & CEO on LinkedIn. That’s tradition.
Also important: use words like “synergy,” “pivot,” and “Africa-first innovation” in every conversation. Doesn’t matter if you’re selling mandazi.
Fun Facts & Hustle Lore
- Many small business names end with “& Sons” even if there are no sons involved. Or even employees.
- Your Uber driver is probably a crypto educator.
- The person selling shoes on Facebook is also hosting a silent disco next weekend.
- “Briefcase companies” — real businesses with no office, just Gmail and dreams — are totally valid.
- There’s a booming market in custom birthday cakes, printed socks, African print laptop bags, and motivational speaking. Sometimes all run by the same person.
- You will be added to at least five WhatsApp groups a week promising financial freedom. Escape is futile.
Why It Works
This isn’t just economic survival.
It’s culture.
It’s strategy.
It’s aspiration wrapped in grit.
In Kenya, nobody is waiting for opportunities. They’re making them — one order, one client, one TikTok video at a time.
Being busy is a badge of honor. Being booked and unavailable? Elite.
If you don’t have a side hustle by age 16, are you even trying?
Even unemployed people in Kenya have side hustles. It’s unemployment with ambition.
Final Word: Build or Be Left Behind
Want to do business in Kenya?
Respect the hustle.
Everyone is building something.
Everyone is dreaming bigger than their current job title.
Show up with ideas. Collaborate fast. Be flexible.
Because in this country, the “side hustle” might just outgrow the main one.
Next up in Chapter Six:
“Matatu Madness” — the wild, art-covered, bass-pumping transit culture that moves a nation and doubles as a rolling nightclub.
About the Author
John is an entrepreneur, strategist, and founder of JS Morlu, LLC, a Virginia based CPA firm with multiple software ventures including www.FinovatePro.com, www.Recksoft.com and www.Fixaars.com . With operations spanning multiple countries, John is on a mission to build global infrastructure that empowers small businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals to thrive in an increasingly competitive world. He believes in hard truths, smart execution, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. When he’s not writing or building, he’s challenging someone to a productivity contest—or inventing software that automates it.
